Nora Abernathy
LPC · Founder · anxiety, burnout
Most people who sit down with me have been holding it together for a long time. I’m good at helping them put some of it down.
Counseling Sellwood, Portland & online across Oregon
A quieter place to begin again.
Therapy for anxiety, burnout, grief and relationships. Fifty unhurried minutes in our Sellwood office with the kettle on, or by video from your own kitchen table.
- Sessions $165
- Sliding scale from $90
- Usually seen within 7 days
i. Before anything else
Breathe with the circle for a minute.
In through your nose for four. Hold for seven. Out through your mouth for eight. It’s called 4‑7‑8 breathing, and it’s often the first thing we teach, because it works on a bus, in a meeting, or at 3 a.m.
Four rounds take about 76 seconds. If seven feels long, hold for as long as is comfortable. Nobody is timing you.
Ready when you are
Sit back, drop your shoulders
ii. The first session
What actually happens on day one.
- Before
A 15‑minute call. Free.
You tell us a little about what’s going on and when you’re usually free. We suggest the therapist who fits best and offer a first time, most often within the week. Your intake form is a link you fill in at home, in about five minutes.
- At the door
The kettle is already on.
We’re on a quiet second floor in Sellwood, with street parking out front. There’s tea, a hook for your wet coat, and a waiting room with three chairs, not thirty. Online? You click a link a minute before and we’re there.
- The fifty minutes
You talk. We mostly listen.
We’ll ask about sleep, work, the people close to you, and what made you reach out now. You don’t have to tell your whole story, and “I’m not ready to talk about that” is a perfectly good answer.
- Before you leave
A plan in plain words.
Together we name what you’d like to be different in three months, and how often to meet: weekly, or every other week. If the fit doesn’t feel right, we’ll help you find someone who is. No hard feelings.
iii. What we help with
What people come to us for.
We draw on CBT, ACT and EMDR, and adapt them to the person in the chair. Sessions are 50 minutes; couples, 75.
- i
Anxiety & overthinking
Panic, constant worry, and the 3 a.m. mind that won’t switch off. Practical tools in the first few sessions, deeper work after.
- ii
Burnout & work stress
For people who are always “fine” and running on empty. We look at the job, and at the voice that says you can’t say no.
- iii
Grief & life changes
A death, a divorce, a move, a diagnosis, a new baby. Room to be sad without being rushed back to normal.
- iv
Couples & relationships
Communication, trust, and the same argument on repeat. You don’t need to be in crisis to come in together.
- v
Trauma
EMDR and body-based work, gently paced and always in your control. We never push you to retell more than you choose.
iv. In person or online
In the room, or from home.
Plenty of our clients mix both. Video on rainy Tuesdays, the office when they want to get out of the house.
- The Sellwood office
- Two quiet rooms, soft chairs, a window onto the street trees. Two blocks from the Springwater trail if you like to walk off a session.
- Telehealth, anywhere in Oregon
- Secure video that opens in your browser. No app, no account. Same therapist and same fee, from Astoria to Ashland.
- Evenings, too
- Evening sessions are available, so therapy can fit after work or after the kids are down.
v. The therapists
Three of us. One will feel right.
Daniel Okafor
LMFT · couples, life transitions
I’ll interrupt a fight. Gently, but I will. Then we try the same sentence again, slower.
Sun‑mi Lee
LCSW · trauma, grief · EMDR trained
Heavy things don’t need to be rushed. We go at the speed your body can handle.
vi. From clients, with permission
I’d put this off for four years. Nora let me sit in silence for the first ten minutes. Nobody had ever done that.
Daniel stopped us mid-argument twice and made us say it again, slower. Annoying. Also, it worked.
Video sessions from Bend. Honestly the same as being in the room, minus the drive over the pass in January.
vii. Fees & insurance
What it costs, plainly.
No intake fee, no packages, no surprise bills. You pay per session, after it.
- First consultation15 minutes, phone or videoFree
- Individual session50 minutes$165
- Couples session75 minutes$210
- Sliding scaleSix spots held every month$90–140
Sliding scale. Tell us what you can manage on the first call. No pay stubs, no paperwork. If this month’s spots are taken, we’ll hold one for you next month.
Insurance. We’re in network with several major Oregon health plans and can check yours before you book. Out of network? We’ll give you a superbill to claim back.
Paying & cancelling. Card, HSA or FSA. Cancel 24 hours ahead and it’s free. Once a year we’ll waive a late cancel, no questions. Life happens.
viii. Questions
Before you reach out.
What happens on the free call?
It’s a relaxed 15 minutes. You share a little about what’s going on, ask us anything (fees, insurance, how we work), and we suggest the therapist who fits best. No commitment, and no need to prepare.
What if I don’t know what to say, or I cry?
Both happen often, and both are fine. There are tissues on every side table. Starting with “I don’t really know why I’m here” is one of the most common first sentences we hear.
Is online therapy as good as in person?
For most concerns, research shows similar results. What matters most is the fit with your therapist. You can switch between video and the office week to week.
How long will I need to come?
Some people come for 8 to 12 sessions with a clear goal; others stay longer. We check in on progress together every few weeks, and you can stop whenever you like.
Is everything confidential?
Yes. What you share stays between you and your therapist, with a few narrow legal exceptions we’ll explain in plain language in your first session.
Do you prescribe medication?
We don’t, but we work alongside local psychiatric providers and can coordinate care with yours if that helps.
ix. Free first call
Start with fifteen minutes.
Tell us a little. We’ll reply within one business day with a few times. Or call (503) 555‑0136.
If you’re in crisis right now, please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Thank you for reaching out.
That first step is often the hardest one. We’d be in touch within a business day with a few times for your call.
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